


and together they defeated romance

by Longisquama



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Original Work
Genre: Cuddling, Friendship, Gen, non-sexual nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:22:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26031103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Longisquama/pseuds/Longisquama
Summary: this is for the request byNununununu:I'd just love something supportive and life affirming, where characters are accepting and don't try to push the aro character into romance they're not interested in - perhaps background characters /are/ pushing them, if you want, and then come to understand and accept their POV, or maybe the aro character expects the other person not to understand them, but they do from the outset :)I'm happy for the aro character to either be ace, uninterested in sex or interested in it on a FWB or non-romantic basis. F/f, m/m, f/m (femdom), xeno and poly combinations are all welcome, as are queerplatonic partners and gen friendship.I just picked all the characters and then got carried away with them interacting
Relationships: friendships between original characters, unrequited attraction between original characters
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3
Collections: Aromantic Characters Exchange





	and together they defeated romance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nununununu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nununununu/gifts).



It’s not even my own book – it’s one of those pastel-coloured romance novels you get in train station bookstores, with the famous White Couple Almost Kissing on the cover. I don’t _hate_ romance novels, but this one looks so cheap I only opened it because I was bored out of my mind in the optometrist’s waiting room. And it was written so blandly as to make me skip and skim entire pages. The protagonist a ruggedly handsome and lonely artist blah, a selkie his mysterious muse blah blah, a handful of evil sirens trying to lure him into a saltwatery death bluuuuh.

It must have been the sirens. Because I found myself siding with them simply out of spite: the way they weren’t even described except as sexy and gaudily beautiful, no personalities to set them apart, and I thought to myself _if I met them I would want to befriend them_ and…

Well. And here I am, on the beach, befriending sirens, _inside_ the whole dumb setup of the novel and I was right – this romance novel is so stupid even its own characters hate it.

And they _are_ awesome friends.

* * *

Because this is a novel, the whole beach is immensely picturesque, complete with little rock islands close to the shore that are perfect for sitting on in an inviting manner. Jack showed me around a bit when I first crashed in his place but claims to be busy now and I’m glad to have some time to myself. Or, time for the ladies, to be honest.

Everyone’s there: Bri, comfortably naked without her sealskin. The elven princess who’s not even mentioned in the whole story as far as I know, dripping and glittering with the alien beauty of a jellyfish; everyone calls her Oolwa with a gurgling water sound I can almost replicate. All five of the sirens, of course. True to the script, their features are perfect in a way that makes them all look similar, and their names are long and vaguely greek-sounding and I cannot for the life of me remember them. For some reason, this delights them and they are eager to have me call each of them “Theo”. But apart from that, they’re as different as people can be, mischievous and arrogant and timid and curious, wearing shells and lost scarves and flowers as jewelry to set themselves apart from each other.

We are huddled close together so nobody falls off the rock formation, even though I’m the only one who would mind and I am already wet from swimming out here. Oolwa’s arm is draped around Seaweed Theo who in turn has Bri leaning against her. I have finished telling Sundress Theo how I got to their world and how Jack, the lonely artist, took me in. Now we stalk him as he dips in and out of the dunes in search for inspiration and, I don’t know, clumps of grass or whatever he works into his sculptures.

(I’ve seen some. He’s not a bad artist. I would buy his stuff. But he _is_ laying it on thick with the tortured misunderstood soul shtick.)

“He just picked up that rock for the fourth time and put it down again,” Oolwa points out. “He should just make up his mind. Or go somewhere else! Why is he going in circles?”

Sundress Theo snorts. “He looks like he’s on a leash. Do Not Go Past This Point or you will have to Experience New Things!” I can practically hear the capitals in her words, as always when she mocks people.

“Yeah I know what’s up with that, girls. He’s got to make sure he’s always striking a good pose for Bri, you get me?” The sirens erupt into laughter, except for Fishbone Theo who steals Bri from her sister to cuddle up to her. Bri mushes her face into Theo’s hair to muffle her giggle.

“For everyone who can’t see it, I am rolling my eyes so hard right now,” I announce loudly, which produces more laughter.

“Hear, hear!”

“We should sing to him, he always makes angry sculptures when we do that. Then Bri can tell us about it!”

“Nooooooooo– “ Bri groans into Theo’s hair. “Last time he took so long and I had to stay for dinner! He’s a terrible cook!”

She sounds like she’s making fun of the situation, but her fingers dig into Theo’s where they hold hands and Theo doesn’t let go for a long time, until we have to seperate to untangle Earring Theo’s hoops from Hat Theo’s fishnet veil.

* * *

“Hey, how did you meet Bri?” I ask Jack as we do the dishes in his dingy kitchen. His whole place is a dump, except for the gallery where he works on his sculptures – everything is sorted and dusted and clean there; I don’t quite get it, I thought artists were supposed to be messy, swept away by their passion.

Well. I’m not an artist, anyway. And I am a bit surprised that it took me so long to ask about how the two of them met when Bri is all Jack ever talks about. Almost every day there’s a new sculpture that’s somehow related to her.

He takes a moment to respond, half lost in thought as he always is. “Huh?”

I repeat the question. I have to admit it’s a bit out of the blue.

Jack makes a quiet humming sound. A small smile tugs at his lips.

“Brinnin… You know, it feels like I’ve known her for so much longer than I have, somehow. You ever get that? Every moment I spend with her is… fuller? I don’t know.” The smile has taken over his whole face, but all I can feel when he beams at me is faint annoyance. He didn’t actually answer my question. At this point, I wonder why I asked in the first place – we weren’t talking, I was just bored, but boredom and morbid curiosity is what got me into this situation in the first place. Does the novel even specify how Jack and Bri met? If it’s not written down, does he have the memories?

Ugh, now he’s back to wax lyrical about her and he’s _not_ good with words, that’s why he has the sculptures to express himself. I manage to coax him into showing him the newest one. It’s rusted metal and feathers and blue thistles, all of them representing something, tied together with hardy salt grass.

“I’ve never known someone like her. She’s so pure and connected to nature. I wish I could go down into the water with her. I want to show her all of my life, I wish it was possible that she could to the same for me…”

With a slightly guilty taste in the back of my mouth I tune him out. He’ll mutter about Bri all evening and all this relationship lovey-dovey stuff makes me itchy and restless.

I go for a walk. He tags along but at least we’re getting fresh air. For a whole half hour, I succeed in keeping him away from the beach. Of course we still end up there, with Jack not even trying to be subtle about his desire to see Bri. We find the whole group of them, Bri, Oolwa and the Theos, in the shallow puddles left by the tide.

For a while, we hang out, but it’s different when Jack is around. It’s like the group is splitting with him trying to push everyone but Bri to one side and pulling her to him.

He picks a dog rose for Bri.

She smiles and puts it into her hair. She’s wearing a pale linen dress that’s smudged with dirt. Jack compliments her for four minutes. She leans into me and bashfully hides her face.

Then the sirens start to sing.

Jack hates the siren’s songs. I don’t know why (it’s lovely) but maybe it’s an allo thing I can’t understand.

He tries to get Bri to leave with him. In the course of that he gets into a fight with Seaweed Theo, which turns into a screaming match, which turns into me dragging him away and throwing apologetic glances at the girls.

Is this supposed to somehow impress Bri and make her like him more? Maybe that’s also an allo thing.

Ugh.

* * *

We’re doing all the girly things today, just Bri and me. A small copse of pine trees grows relatively close to the beach, scattered sunrays dancing over columbine and witch alder and the mossy boulders we lean against. Bri has hidden her sealskin and is lounging around in the clothes I lent her. She doesn’t have many but adores my shorts and brightly patterned shirts. I have already braided her hair, now she’s doing mine while we discuss nail polish, favourite snacks, books – she hasn’t read any yet but I will bring her some from my next trip to town.

“I can trade you the books for shells, if you want? The big ones, the…“ Bri tries to draw some shapes and spirals into the air with her fingers, because neither of us know much about shells and the seal expressions for them don’t translate into meaningful words. „The ones on the beach are always broken or so small or dead! I can bring you one as big as your hand and you can eat it?“

I snort and try not to grimace. We’ve been over this.

“It’s fine, really. Every one I’ve tried so far has been… remember? I’m not made for eating raw seafood.“ I have to grin, can’t help but tease her a bit. “But I _could_ make Jack jealous when I show up with a shell bigger than anything _he_ has managed to find!“

Bri breaks into yapping laughter and pulls on my hair. „I want to see his face! Have you seen the… art thing he made with all the sticks? He collected for days! I feel a bit bad because I could have given him… so many! But he would…“ she trails off, biting her lip.

Just like that, the happy mood evaporates. Not long ago, Bri would gush about Jack, him and the library they visited together, him and a friend’s dog, him and whatever topic they talked about on their last walk through the dunes. Lately, though, talking about him has turned into a delicate matter that turns Bri’s mood sour in most cases. I should have paid better attention to where our conversation was going. But maybe, instead of skirting the topic, it might be time to finally talk about it.

“He’d think you’re flirting with him, huh? For bringing him a handful of driftwood.“

“YES!“ Bri blurts out. “I don’t understand! We could make so many pretty… art objects! But instead he wants to date me and I don’t know how he got that idea? He doesn’t want to date you, right? You’re around him too. All the time.“

I am. I’ve lived in his house for weeks and I’m starting to suspect that there are some invisible romance novel rules keeping him from questioning that arrangement. Or maybe he’s just so head over heels for Bri.

Brinnin the selkie, his magical muse, who is absolutely not into him at all and confused about why she should be. The situation feels so familiar in a way that aches deep down in my bones.

“Do you want to date him back? You could still do art, you know, just with kissing, I think.” I carefully ask. Bri breaks into nervous giggles that are not at all like her careless seal laughter.

“I have not – I saw people kissing. I know what the sirens do with their prey. It. Doesn’t? It doesn’t look fun.” She speaks slowly and stares at her feet instead of looking at me. “I want to be his friend but I don’t want. That. Is that selfish?”

“Bri…” I murmur. Carefully I lay an arm around her shoulders to pull her closer. “Bri, no. There’s nothing wrong with that. You don’t owe him anything.”

She relaxes, leaning against me.

“That’s what Oolwa says, too. Do you know why Theixiope never sings? She doesn’t want to kiss anyone, either. See? Not everyone…” she trails off.

“Yeah. Me neither. It happens.”

She nods, heaves a quiet sigh. “I figured. I don’t know what it is but maybe we just draw together, huh?”

I giggle. Seems that no matter in which world, queers attract each other.

“Theixiope’s sisters try to distract him from me. That’s why he doesn’t like them. I wish… it wouldn’t have to be that way. If he would just. They could inspire him, I bet. I would love to see what they can come up with together.”

“Hah. Wouldn’t that be nice.”

We both sigh and watch the dappled sunlight flit across the ground and our naked toes. The silence stretches comfortably.

“Hey,” I murmur. “You want me to talk to him about… _it_?”

* * *

I talk to Jack about it.

(It doesn’t go well.)

* * *

Maybe I shouldn’t have sat him down in his living room and lectured like a mom. I try again in the evening while we’re heading home from the pub where we had met up with Jack’s friends, had snacks, some wine.

The light is just low enough for the streetlamps to click on and a salty breeze drives away the day’s heat. As soon as we’re out the door, the conversation circles back to Bri and how sad he is that she couldn’t come. If I don’t say something now, when will I?

“Okay, so, listen. You’re not attracted to Julia, right? Even though you’re friends.”

Jack stares at me. “She’s with Ethan, what are you on about?”

I try not to roll my eyes and try again.

“But you wouldn’t be if she was single or you were poly or something, right? You’ve been friends for years. And you’re also not attracted to the guys. You just hang out.”

He nods, confused; I shoot him an encouraging smile but plow on before he can respond. “That’s how we, people like me and Bri, how we feel about everyone. We love a lot of people and a lot of things very much, just not in that one particular way, you know?

Jack shrugs. “I … don’t think I know. I don’t get it. She never said anything? I thought it was… fine?”

I can’t hold back a sigh. Feelings, always so messy and complex.

“If Julia tried to tell you she fancies you, or Tomoko, how would you react? ‘s not always that simple to just say something.”

He’s quiet now, but contemplating. This is definitely going better than my first attempt, at least he’s not stressing out about Bri secretly hating him.

“She likes you a lot, really. She talks about you. Just think about what I said, ok?” He nods. So far, so good.

I just hope his thinking won’t take him into the opposite direction I just told him to go.

* * *

I’m lying on a rock upside down, the tips of my hair drifting in the water, while Oolwa pokes at my toes. She’s trying to make me an anklet out of tiny water snail shells and keeps complaining that I won’t hold still.

The sirens are out at sea today, so it’s just the two of us until Bri comes running over the sand, splashing into the water and finally just bellyflopping into a cresting wave. Oolwa hollers and lets go of me to hug Bri so when I try to get up I don’t have any leverage and scramble about uselessly. Instead of helping, both of them laugh at me until I end up in the water with them.

“I need you both to immediately stop everything and help me search for stuff!” Bri yells right into my ear.

“What stuff? How did it goooo?” Oolwa pokes her in the ribs. The two of us have been passing time and trying (very much failing) not to speculate about the nature of the Very Important Walk Bri and Jack have been taking the whole afternoon. Now she’s here but Jack is nowhere to be seen.

Bri splashes water all over Oolwa in excitement. “All kinds of stuff! We’re making a sculpture together! We– “ and here Oolwa whoops and jumps onto her for a hug. “He said we should make something for the exhibition and I get to add stuff! I need so much stuff! What should I get him?”

Within seconds, Bri and Oolwa are chattering away and diving down into the water to bring up pebbles, urchins, seaweed to show me. I miss most of the conversation they’re having underwater while I arrange trinkets on the rock but it’s been a while since I’ve seen Bri this happy.

The best part is when she surfaces with a whole handful of sea glass and the biggest grin on her face.

“He says he met someone and we need to make the best sculpture to impress her!” she whispers before disappearing again.

Yeah. That grin of hers is very, very infectious.


End file.
